William george moore



Aug. 16, 1932. r w. G. MOORE 1,872,322

ARC LAMP ELECTRODE I File d Aug. 25. 1929 INVIm- Patented Aug. '16, 1932 UiTED STATES WILLIAM GEORGE MOORE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND ABC LAM? ELECTRODE Application filed August 23, 1929, Serial No. 387,982, and in Great Britain January 10, 1929.

This invention comprises improvements in electrodes for electric-arc germicidal treatment.

It isan object of the invention to provide means for ermicidal electric-arc treatment with rays W ich is of particularly high penetrative and germicidal properties.

Therapeutic treatment (of animals as well as human beings) with the rays from an arc lamp has been successfully carried out. The constitution of the materials used for the electrodes or otherwise for introducing particular characteristics into the rays from the arc is of great importance. Research on this subject involves several considerations (apart from those relating to the composition or production of the electrodes). Firstly, it is desirable to make a spectrum analysis of the rays obtained from an are using the material to be tested. Secondly, the penetration of the rays through animal tissues should be tested, and it is essential that the degree of penetration should be high. Thirdly, it is necessary to test the therapeutic action of the rays, i. e. the direct or indirect bactericidal action. A series of such tests have been made with various alloys.

According to the present invention an alloy for electric arc germicidal treatment consists of an alloy whereof the essential constituents are a preponderating proportion of tungsten to ether with chromium. The alloy preferably contains also titanium. The proportion of titanium may vary but a preferred proportion lies between 1% and 5%, best results bein obtained at about 2% for selected cases.

lhe proportion of chromium may also vary, the preferred proportion lying between 4% and 2%, with best results at about for selected diseases.

It will be appreciated that the effect of the presence of titanium and chromium in the alloy is to increase the radiation in the wave lengths which are most effective for germicidal purposes. In dealing with particular germs better effects may be obtained in some cases with one proportion and in other cases with another proportionof these constituents. The spectrograph of the alloy, when compared with that of tungsten shows many additional lines in what scientists describe as the vital region of the spectrum.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic illustration showing one application of this invention by way of example.

In the drawing, electrodes 11, 12 are supplied from a source of electric energy 13 through a regulating resistance 14. Between the electrodes an arc ma y be struck, and the usual means of regulating the are are provided. A reflector 17 or other means for concentrating the rays may be provided.

A vessel 15 for bacterial cultures is shown in the line of rays of the arc, covered by a piece of animal hide 16. v

The electrodes 11, 12 which may -be about one quarter of an inch square are both composed of an alloy as above referred to, say for example 97.5% tungsten, 2% titanium and chromium. .It is found that the rays and light emitted from the resulting arc is of peculiar penetrative and germicidal power, being rich in rays of those wave lengths which are most efi'ective from this point of view. In a particular test electrodes inch thick and square in cross-section were employed, made from an alloy of the particular composition just referred to. It has been found that the size of the electrodes has an influence on the results, better results being obtained with large electrodes. I have so defined my invention in certain of the claims; and when I state that the electrodes shall have a cross-section of approximately onesixteenth of one square inch, it is to understood that the size of the cross-section thus pointed out need not be followed exactly, but that slight variations to either side are permissible, the lower limit of such variation in the area of the cross-section being about one-twentieth of one square inch. The current employed was 6 amperes direct current from a 200 volt supply suitably reduced in voltage by the regulating resistance. It was found that at a. distance of approxima-tel ten inches from the arc the rays penetrate a piece of animal hide (such as 16) five-sixteenths of an inch thick and killed a mately three minutes.

In the manufacture of the electrodes the same general methods are employed as are in general use for making tungsten bars for wire filaments for electric lamps, suitable q zantities of finely divided titanium and c romium'being introduced into the tungsten powder before moulding and sintering; the electrodes may be subsequently worked or swaged to make solid bars.

In the alloys according to this invention the percentage of chromiumemployedshould vary proportionately to the percenta e of titanium. The proportions given are ased. on end productsi. e. on the finished electrode-bars, not the uantities initially mixed before sintering. lln manufacture, suitable allowance for loss must be made, the appropriate quantities being best determined by a simple preliminary trial under the particular conditions of manufacture employed.

It will be understood that the use of electrodes according to the invention is not limited to therapeutic treatment of bacteria in human beings or animals, but may alsobecar- 95 ried out on vegetables, fruit, plants, milk and the like, for destroying germs, and for other purposes.

I claim 1. An are light electrode for electric-arc therapeutic ray-treatment comprising an alloy. whereof the essential constituents are tungsten with from 1% to 5% of titanium and from 4% to 2% of chromium.

2. An are light electrode for electric-arc 85 therapeutic ray-treatment comprising an alloy consisting of tungsten approximately 97.5%, titanium approximately 2% and chromium approximately 5%.

3. An are light electrode for electric-arc therapeutic ray-treatment as claimed in claim -1 having a cross-sectional area of a proximately one-sixteenth of one square inc the lower limit of variation in said crosssectional area being about one-twentieth of one square inch.

4. An are light electrode for electric-arc therapeutic ray-treatment as claimed in claim 2 having a cross-sectional area of approximately one-sixteenth of one square inch, the lower limit of variation in said crosssectional area being about one-twentieth of one square inch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my I, name to thiss ecification.

WILEIAM GEORGE MOORE. 

